Chad once said something that I will co-opt, and bastardize, to suit my purposes; “Every Christmas song worth a damn was either written 300 years ago, or is ‘Labor of Love’ by Andrew Peterson.” I loved this song from the moment I first heard it on a rehearsal demo for Chad’s Christmas musical a few years ago.
Since everyone else involved in this project seems intent on sending in radio-ready masters of incredible arrangements, I decided to play the contrary, and deliver this thing up, warts and all. I tried to stay with the simplicity of the original song, just alone at a piano in a noisy room, recording the song as it went down. If you want to hear the much, much better version, follow the happy itunes link:
For the rest of you, enjoy.
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photo by introspectre
Also, click the link to the photo, and see who the 2nd comment is from. I didn’t notice until I had already grabbed the link. Great minds think similaritously, eh?
You should do this for offeritory some time soon.
Wow. Thanks for sharing this great song. Click on the link. Those photos are breathtaking!
Wow. Lovely to hear your dulcet tones again, Mike. This is, as you said, a very good song. Thanks for bringing it to my attention.
Weird to see a picture of my friend Intro on this blog. Six degrees, eh?
Cerise
Nice work. No sacbut, but I’ll let it slide in this case. It’s Christmas after all.
Darn good warts, Michael.
Thanks, sweetness. That was lovely…
I brought this to Introspectre’s attention today and she was really pleased to represent The Virgin. [snicker]
Seriously, the song made her cry and she luuuurves Michael’s voice.
Cerise
…and my eworlds collide. Ka-BLOOEY.
Cerise
Is that like a bad Ka-BLOOEY, or like the Ka-Blooey of the Stay Puff Marshamallow Man at the end of Ghostbusters? Just curious if it’s a gooey happy sticky the world is saved explosion (or is that implosion?) or the kind where your head pops off (which in some cases is a most excellent vacation.)
Thanks, Cerise, darling. You rock. Now let’s hear you sing, too. I await…
As a hater of all things Christmasy …I have to say you made me cry. I am not sure if I appreciate that or not.
PS Your oh so wrong, the Itunes link is not the better version.
Hi..I’m a “lurker”..had never heard that term before today. I’m one of Sharolyn’s gal pals who enjoys dropping in from time to time to be enlighted by you of a younger generation. So many intriguing thoughts to ponder and frequently a much needed laugh.
Today it’s tears…I am sobbing, note- not weeping, sobbing, in response to Labor of Love.
Speechless. So how to reply? Thanks for this poignant look back on the most important moment in history. You really took me there; visually, physically, emotionally. I swear I’m having contractions! But not just the womb kind, the heart kind also. So much compassion for this young girl (my daughter’s age) and what she went through to birth the Savior of the World. So much love for that precious newborn baby.
All the “merry” things I’ve been working my butt off doing to contribute to the celebration of Christmas seem almost gross in contrast to a humble girl on a cold stable floor giving birth without her mom, (not to mention no epidural), fully engaged in something she’d never asked for, but completely submitted to. Truly, a labor of love.
Thanks for the moving reminder of beautiful servantude and getting me back to the heart of the matter. I’m on my knees before the manger.
Hooray, Sheila is here!
Recently, the movie The Nativity helped bring me back to the manger. Because I rarely see movies these days, I thought it was just great. Chad could write a better review than I could. I’m sure some people out there probably have something not to like about it, but in very simple terms it was a reminder of how Christ’s birth is so beautiful and breathtaking.